Marking Cullen Style
by TwilightObsessedMell
Summary: Ever wondered what it's like to be a teacher, marking one of the 'perfect' Cullen test papers? Well, I did...


**Marking – Cullen Style**

_**Hi everyone!**_

_**An idea that just came to me that wouldn't leave me alone; what would it be like to mark a 'Perfect Cullen's' exam?**_

_**Even better, what would it be like to have marking Math from Mr Varner's point of view? **__**We already know he thinks little of the the Cullen's from Twilight…**_

_**None of the characters belong to me, and I realise Alice was probably never in Mr Varner's class, but y'know, it worked this way.**_

_**This is what I came up with – hope you enjoy!!**_

_**Xxx**_

**Mr Verner's POV**

My heart sang in excitement in my chest as I opened the folder labelled '12 Math', sliding it forward in front of me on my desk.

I felt a smirk grow on my face as I took hold of my red pen in my right hand and opened the folder.

Exam time had always been a favourite of mine; the satisfaction of failing a student was second only to watching their faces crumble in disappoint when they witnessed their deplorable mark in my eyes.

But this year brought an added excitement for an entirely new reason. An extra bonus, if you will. This marking session would possibly be the best of my life; finally, I'd be able to fail her.

This, I was sure, would be the first time she'd failed anything in her life; and I felt privileged to be able to give her the experience.

Alice Cullen had been the bane of my existence for the past two years ever since the very first day of Term One, Year 11. I remembered the day as if was just yesterday, the memory still enough to make my blood boil.

I'd given out an absolutely unbelievably difficult pop quiz the minute the student's had walked in the door, their very first math lesson of Year 11. Crushing the minds of the arrogant 'A' level students from last year was another highlight upon my schooling calendar.

The entire class had groaned and moaned, with one girl even dissolving into hysterics in the middle of the quiz, with one outstanding exception. Dark haired she was and golden eyed, with ghostly pale skin and dark circles under her eyes. Yes, this petite girl had simply stared out the window with a bored expression upon her inhumanely beautiful face. The excitement of handing out a pop quiz must have thoroughly distracted me; if not for that I would have surely remembered this one.

I frowned slightly in confusion at her apparent boredom. This was the hardest pop quiz known to man, how could she possibly be bored? I must be mistaken; she must have given up after the first question. Yes, that was it; it was so hard she'd abandoned even attempting to answer. I smirked inwardly as I approached her desk.

"Given up, have you Miss?" I asked in a slightly smug tone. I wasn't known as the toughest Math teacher of Forks High for nothing.

"Oh no sir, I've finished!" She smiled politely, her voice light and musical, like none I had ever heard before.

I was so stunned by her voice that it had taken me a minute to realise what she had said.

"F-Finished?" I stuttered in confusion. "Already?"

She smiled again and nodded.

"It was pretty easy, actually."

That couldn't be possible. No-one could pass this test; even the other math staff had had difficulty with it.

She was just being cocky; that was it. Yes, there was no way this deathly pale girl would be able to pass this quiz.

"What was your name Miss?" I asked coolly; making a mental note to mark her exam first, and enjoy a private triumph.

"Alice Cullen," she replied smoothly, now frowning slightly at me, as if something I had said had offended her.

"Well, Miss Cullen, I'm looking forward to your test paper then," I replied, equally as smoothly, as I walked past her desk, towards the sickly looking girl who was still bawling her eyes out.

The rest of the lesson had past irritatingly slowly, my anticipation of marking this Alice Cullen's test paper rising as each agonising second had ticked by.

As soon as the class had finished I'd taken off towards the Math staffroom as quickly as possible, eagerly rifling through the test papers to find hers.

Her writing was the neatest I had ever seen of a student's; the neatest I'd ever seen in my life, Microsoft Word included. Every 'i' was dotted, every 't' crossed elegantly, in her own personal brand of calligraphy.

I smiled; perhaps she'd spent too much time bothering about neatness to even notice how difficult it was.

But as my red pen had travelled down the page, I had found no error. Her working was perfect. Absolutely perfect. I couldn't even comfort myself by taking half marks off her for skipping lines or not writing the answer out with words at the end. **(A/N: My math teacher does this to me all the time!!!)**

Every student in my class failed that surprise quiz that day. Every student that is, except for the pale girl with the golden eyes. That one thorn in my side; ruining my perfect score.

And ever since, she'd never made one error. Not one, measly mistake.

I was later to find out that there was a whole family of these super freaks, but Alice was always the one that stood out to me. The one I couldn't stand. They all _must _be cheating; it was the only explanation…

Ever since that day, I'd made it my personal vendetta to find a fault, even just one, to bring Alice Cullen back down to Earth. I'd given up on failing her, but if I could just ruin her perfect score, as she had ruined mine, I knew I would be able to rest in peace, should I die the moment after.

Those last two years had been filed with bitter disappointment. Every exam had been the same. And when I'd hand back the test papers begrudgingly, I could swear I would see Alice smirk at me when I entered the room… I was never sure however, because whenever I looked at her properly, she'd have her usual, bored expression…

Hate filled within me, temporarily stifling my uplifted mood. I shook it away, eagerly removing the lid from my pen.

I had outdone myself on this exam, as it had been my last opportunity. I wasn't going to waste it in making sure she would slip up.

And why this marking session had filled me with such hope?

Well, because Alice Cullen had actually _frowned _in this exam. She'd finished soon after, sure. But she'd distinctly frowned on the last question.

I glided my marking pen over her exam, finding no error as usual with the start. My heart was throbbing in my chest almost audibly the further I got down the exam. And finally, the last question on the paper, the hardest, that even _I _had found difficulty with, didn't match with my marking sheet.

My hands shook with shock.

Alice. Was. Wrong.

Pure joy filled my heart. I'd done it! My mission for two whole years, finally complete! Ah, sweet victory!

As my pen approached the paper, and I readied myself for the ecstasy I would feel to give her a big, fat cross, I noticed something which disturbed me.

She'd underlined part of her working. I frowned, confused. Why would she underline such an easy line? It was almost as if I should pay special attention to the line…

I looked over her working carefully, and was even more confused to find no error there. Shrugging, I brought my pen back to the paper. Well, she'd obviously made a calculator error. I glanced quickly at my working, to make sure my eyes hadn't played tricks on me. No, our answers were definitely different. And it was then that I noticed it.

The very line Alice Cullen must have frowned at, the insignificantly easy line… Was the very line _I _had made an error on. Disappointment surged up within me, but I pushed it away angrily.

Because sure, I couldn't fail her. But now I definitely had proof. Proof to take out not just one, but all of the Cullens.

Somehow, she'd definitely seen my answer sheet. Why else would she underline such simple working?

I had her now! And that whole freaky family too!

Joy erupted within me again. I hadn't achieved my vendetta, no, but this was better somehow.

I _knew _they were cheating. The staff would all acknowledge my heightened sense of intuition, and the principal would be _so _grateful. I could already hear the apologies for doubting me ringing in my ears. Sure, it would mean admitting my own fault, but I could cover that up easily. Say I had set a trap, to see if she was cheating. And somehow she'd got lucky when she noticed I'd made an error. On purpose, of course.

I felt a rush of wind blow past me, but ignored it, ready to pick up the Cullen exam to take to the principal.

Victory was within my grasp, my fingertips touching the very evidence to prove this whole conspiracy…

I looked down at the paper, smiling at my lucky break.

Only to find it wasn't so lucky anymore. No, this paper didn't have any working underline.

I frowned, looking back at my desk in confusion. Had I picked up the wrong paper? No, this was definitely Alice Cullen's perfect calligraphy.

Which meant… Had I imagined it all?

I searched through the contents upon my desk, scattering papers in my desperation. What, no?! My proof; it had been right here!

I sighed, scowling at my desk. Euphoria had obviously clouded my vision; a mirage had appeared before my eyes…

Was I going mad?

Bitter disappointed rose within me, as I was forced to mark the last question correct.

Another perfect score.

I searched through the pile, looking for condolence in the form of Betty Helena, the girl who always burst into tears without fail in my class.

At least I knew this was a sure fail.

~x-x~

Outside the math staffroom, two exceptionally pale and beautiful teenagers were locked in quite an intense, hushed conversation.

"Alice, that was highly irresponsible." The male with bronze, tousled hair, scolded with a frown.

"It was the only way Edward," the other, a petite female with spiked, dark hair replied omnisciently. "He wouldn't have realised any other way. And it wasn't like I had written he had made an error, I just gave him a hint…"

"A hint which would have no doubt ruined the Cullen reputation." He retorted quickly, still frowning.

"Oh stop being so self righteous. Since when have you cared about reputation? May I remind you who saved a certain brunette female from being crushed to death in the presence of numerous witnesses? That turned out fine, as did this. It's not like it was hard to exchange the papers anyway…"

The male rolled his eyes skyward as he shook his head, muttering under his breath. "All to win some stupid bet with a human."

The female smirked. "I should have warned him not to bet against me."

**Xxx**

**This is a bit rushed, as I'm going away tomorrow and didn't really have time to check it over properly. I know, excuses, excuses.**

**But hopefully it's fairly typo free and you all enjoy!**

**Thanks for reading! Reviews make me a happy ^^ I won't be back until next Wednesday though, so don't be disappointed if I don't reply as soon as you review! They'll be a lovely surprise in my inbox if you choose to!**

**Mell xx**


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